Former Hull City captain Michael Dawson admits his mind was set on signing for Nottingham Forest this summer after seeing a return to the City Ground collapse in January.

In the dying moments of the winter transfer window a shock move back to the Reds fall through, dashing the 34-year-old’s hopes of representing his boyhood club once more, as the Tigers failed to find a replacement.

Four months on, Dawson has put pen to paper on a two-year deal with Forest, that will see him end a four-year association with the Tigers, a spell in which he made 122 league appearances for the club.

However, while he insists he gave his all under Nigel Adkins he always had one eye on the progress of Forest.

Speaking after joining up with Aitor Karanka’s side, Dawson opened up on how the move came about and expressed his delight after finally sealing the move.

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“There’s no hiding that the manager (Aitor Karanka) wanted to do something in January,” said the centre-back.

“I wanted it to happen in January. It didn’t, so I got my head down and worked hard at Hull, and did all I could for them, but with one eye on seeing what Forest were doing.

“The manager wanted me to come, the owners wanted me to come. But I had six months left on my contract and Hull didn’t want me to go, so that’s how it stood.

“I was employed by them and when transfer windows shut, you get your head down and work.

Michael Dawson of Hull City (Image: Getty)

“As a pro, you’ve got to do that. When I cross that white line, I always give 110 percent. I’ve done that for Forest and then Spurs and then Hull – and I’ll be doing it again now I’m back.

“I knew my contract was running down at Hull. I knew there had been a lot of interest from Forest and knew the manager wanted me. But as an experienced pro, I’d like to think I respected my team-mates – at the time they were the Hull players - and so I gave everything I could for Hull City while I was there.

“I would always do that because that’s respect to my team-mates when you cross that white line. I’d expect other players to do that.”

The former England international was part of the City squad that pulled away from the relegation zone in the latter half of the season, donning the captain’s armband as the Tigers eventually finished eight points above the relegation zone.